The yarding of nearly 1000 export and young cattle, on Thursday, January 5, saw the market edge up, with local grass fatteners, butchers and feedlotters active, Landmark Leongatha’s Brian McCormack said.

“In total the yarding was about 900, which was down a little bit on what you would have thought,” Mr McCormack said.

“There’s still plenty of feed about, but they don’t have to sell, as the job is only going to get better.”

He said with prices rising at around $20 a head a week, “people can make pretty good money, pretty quickly”.

“Still, there were people who went home who didn’t buy – they came to buy but thought it was too strong.”

Elders Michael Foote said the mixed yarding of cattle proved firmer than previous sales, with locals and one feeder order active in the market.

“Some of the heavier steers made 350-360 cents per kilogram, weaners, mainly dairy cross calves, were around four dollars a kg and heifers were very strong,” Mr Foot said.

“Everything sold very, very well.”

Landmark’s Brian McCormack said the solid sale equalled the last one of 2016.

“The highlight for us was Marg Wight, Meeniyan, whose first pen of 13, weighing 440kg, made $1570, or $3.60kg,” he said.

Ms Wight offered 15-16 month old Hereford steers, making $1550 for a second pen, which weighed 399kg, coming in at $3.90kg.

Other top sellers were Angus and Angus cross calves, a/c Neil and Lynne Andrews, Mirboo, weighing 412kg and fetching $1440 for the lead pen.

A second pen of 10 calves, weighing 391kg, made $1330.

Doug King, Flynn’s, top pen of 11 Angus steers, weighing 354kg, made $1470, while J and J McDonald, Koonawarra, had five Black Baldy steers, at 394kg, which made $1480.

Phelan and Henderson’s Simon Henderson said while there had been some uncertainty about how the sale would go, given the three week break, “the job opened up very strongly.”

“The job was just as strong as it was, pre-Christmas, and it was on the back of a stronger bullock market,” Mr Henderson said.

He said available fodder, rain and some regrowth had probably seen producers hold back numbers.

“Everyone has confidence in the fat market, with bullocks making $3.25 the day before, and grass trade cattle up 10 to 15 cents.”

Among the top prices were Anderstoney, Kilcunda, which sold 18 Angus steers, 437kg, for $1560.

He said P and D Allitt, Cape Patterson’s Angus weaner steers made $1360, for a liveweight of $4.03/kg.

Mr Henderson said Allitt heifers made $1110, with buyers who missed out on steers, turning their attention to female cattle.

”What was probably remarkable on the day was steers sold extremely well, and possibly pushed up heifer prices by $20-30 on the last sale.”